Knockdown box or pallet bin



Feb. 26, 1963 L. E. HERMAN KNOCKDOWN BOX 0R PALLET BIN 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 3, 1961 lei/l8 7 a Z m Z W I Caj Feb. 26, 1963 L. E. HERMAN KNOCKDOWN BOX OR PALLET BIN 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 3, 1961 United States Patent Ofiice 3,979,025 Patented Feb. 26, 1963 3,679,025 KNGCKDGWN 88X GR PALLET Leslie E. Herman, 64 La Cuesta, Orinda, Qalif. Filed July 3, i961, Ser. No. 121,596 3 Claims. (Cl. 21712) The present invention relates to boxes or bins of the knockdown type, and it relates more particularly to an improved assembly which includes a pallet-like bottom member and removable side panels.

As is well known, a pallet is a portable, shallow, doublefaced wooden or metal platform, usually about four feet square. The pallet is generally used in warehouses for storage and transportation of materials. The wooden pallet, for example, is usually composed of strips or boards for each face, the faces being supported and spaced apart by a plurality of wood members, usually referred to as stringers.

The pallet is especially advantageous for use around warehouses and in general transport in that its construction lends itself to convenient handling by fork trucks and the like.

Pallets have also been constructed in the past with upstanding posts which permit a plurality of loaded pallets to be stacked on top of one another Without damaging the goods supported thereby.

The utility of pallet has also been extended in the past by the provision of side panels therefor. The resulting assembly has a bin or box-like configuration, and it enables a wide variety of objects and materials to be stored on the pallet which could not normally be stored in an open-sided structure.

An important object of the present invention is to provide an improved assembly of the type referred to in the preceding paragraph and which includes a pallet bottom and removable side panels associated therewith. The side panels are coupled in a manner to be described by improved corner joints, and they are mounted on the pallet bottom in a manner such that they can be readily as sembled or disassembled without the need for tools or other instruments.

Another object of the invention is to provide such an improved pallet assembly which can be assembled quickly and conveniently to form a box or bin-like structure, and which can be readily disassembled when empty and formed into a compact package for shipping or storing purposes.

Another object of the invention is to simplify and improve the construction of knockdown box and bin structures and to facilitate the manner in which such structures can be assembled or disassembled.

A further object of the invention is to provide such an improved knockdown box or bin structure which has no moving latches, or the like, and in which each component is a rugged and compact unit.

Yet another object is to provide such an improved knockdown box or bin structure in which the side panels and bottom are flush with one another to provide a rugged construction, and in which the corner joints cause the resulting structure to be strengthened and protected at its corners.

A further object is to provide such a knockdown box or bin structure which is eminently simple in its construction and which may be fabricated in a relatively simple manner to be sold at a relatively low price.

A feature of the invention is the provision of improved elongated male and female sliding channel joints, or coupling members, at the ends of the side panels, which joints serve to couple the side panels together at the corners of the box-like structure.

The assembly referred to in the preceding paragraph may be rapidly assembled merely by setting certain ones of the side panels on the pallet bottom and by sliding the end joints mounted on the other side panels into coupled relationship with the end joints on the first-mentioned panels.

The resulting assembly has a flush configuration, and it is rigid and stable. The side panels are firmly held by their own weight on the pallet bottom, and the end joints securely couple the side panels together at the corners of the assembly, and strengthen and protect the corners.

The assembly can be quickly disassembled merely by sliding certain of the panels upwardly and out of coupled relationship with the other panels.

The male and female portions of each of the elongated sliding channel joints referred to above are shaped so that the female portion provides a surrounding wall for the male portion. This surrounding wall of the female portion restricts and prevents all lateral movement of the male portion. The two portions of the sliding channel joint are coupled together, as will be described, by sliding the male portion down within the female portion, or vice versa. Likewise, the two portions of the joint may be decoupled, as will be described, by sliding the male portion upwardly out of the female portion, or vice versa.

The sliding channel joints described above may be composed of any appropriate material, such as metal, plastic, wood or the like. Moreover, the channel joints may be fastened to the corresponding side panels in any appropriate manner, or they may be made integral with the side panels. As noted above, the channel joints have an additional feature in that they strengthen and protect the corners of the resulting box or bin assembly.

The improved knockdown pallet bin of the present invention in a first embodiment uses a pallet in which a peripheral channel or shoulder is formed for receiving and supporting the side walls. However, a second embodiment of the invention to be described herein, requires no changes whatever in usual, existing pallets to enable them to serve as the bottoms for bins constructed to incorporate the concepts of the invention.

The second embodiment has a valuable and unique feature, in that the side walls can be assembled and locked in place on a standard, existing pallet, without the need to alter, modify or add to the pallet in any manner. This is most significant and important in situations where a large quantity of pallets are presently on hand, since these can be used for bins embodying the invention without the need to change them in any manner.

In the practice of the invention in its second embodiment, for example, the side walls may be cut to correspond to the length and width of the existing pallets and of any desired height. They may then be mounted and assembled on the pallets quickly and conveniently to form bins, as will be described.

The above and other features of the invention which are believed to be new are set forth specifically in the claims. The invention itself, however, together with further objects and advantages, may best be understood by reference to the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top perspective view of an uncompleted typical rectangular-shaped pallet member, including the stringers and the boards forming the lower face;

FIGURE 2 is a top perspective view of a completed rectangular-shaped pallet member suitable for use in the invention and having an upper face and a lower face separ ated by a plurality of stringers;

FIGURE 3 is aside View of the pallet member of FIG- URE 2 on a slightly enlarged scale;

FIGURE 4 is an end view of the pallet member of FIGURE 2 on a scale similar to that of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a top perspective view of a knockdown box constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary top view of one corner of the box of FIGURE 5, taken substantially on the line 6 6 and showing the manner in which the side panels of the box are slidably coupled with one another;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of a corner of the box of FIGURE 5, taken substantially along the line 77 in FIGURE and illustrating the manner in which the corner coupling members are secured to the side panels of the box and how these members are slidably coupled to one another;

FIGURE 8 illustrates the manner in which the abovementioned coupling members may be coupled together;

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view of a knockdown box constructed in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary top view of one corner of the box of FIGURE 9, taken on the line 10-10 in FIG- URE 9 and showing the manner in which the side panels are coupled to one another;

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged view of a portion of the box of FIGURE 9 and showing the details of a bracket which is used to couple the corresponding end wall to the bottom pallet;

FIGURE 12 is a sectional view taken along the line 1212 of FIGURE 11; and

FIGURE 13 is a top perspective view of a usual rectangular-shaped pallet member suitable for use as the bottom for the bin of FIGURE 9.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG- U-RES l-SA, 83 includes a double-faced rectangularshaped pallet member 10, this pallet member forming the bottom of the knockdown box or bin representing a first embodiment of the invention. The pallet member 10 includes a plurality of transverse boards 12 which form the lower face, and it includes a further plurality of transverse boards 14 which form the upper face. The boards forming the upper and lower faces of the pallet member are separated by a plurality of stringer members 16.

As is well known, the double-faced. pallet member described above is well suited for use in warehouses, as it may be conveniently lifted and moved by fork trucks, 7

and the like. The above described double-faced pallet differs from the usual type in that the transverse boards 14 forming the upper face are dimensioned so that they define a peripheral shoulder with the stringers 16. As illustrated in FIGURE 3, the end edges of the upper face of the pallet have shoulders 20 extending across the pallet. The shoulders 20 may have a width 2, as indicated. Likewise, and as shown in FIGURE 4, the sides of the upper face of the pallet have shoulders 22 extending along the length of the pallet, and these latter shoulders may also have a width w as indicated.

The shoulders 20 and 22 form a peripheral shoulder, as mentioned, which extends around the upper face of the pallet. As best shown in FIGURE 5, the knockdown box assembly of the first embodiment of the invention includes a plurality of side panels 24. The side panels may be formed of plywood, or any other suitable material. These side panels are adapted to be supported in the shoulders 20 and 22. The width w of the shoulders may be made to correspond to the thicknes of the side panels, so that the resulting assembly of FIGURE 5 may have a flush configuration. I V

In order to maintain the assembly of FIGURE 5 in coupled relationship, appropriate elongated coupling members, or joints, are provided at each corner of the container. These coupling members, as mentioned above, may be formed of metal or any other suitable material. Each of these coupling members includes, for example, a male portion 3t) and afemale portion 32. The female portion 32, for example, includes a first channel portion 32a which is adapted to be folded around the corresponding edge of the side panel 24, as shown in FIGURE 8A. The

4 channel portion 32a is staked, as shown in FIGURES 5, 6, and 7 or otherwise attached to the corresponding panel.

As shown in FIGURES 6 and 7, for example, the female channel 32a is staked to the corresponding side panel 24 by integral stakes, such as the stake 321'). These stakes are punched directly in the channel and forced into the material forming the panel member. As also shown in FIGURES 6 and 7, similar stakes 32b are used to attach the channel portion 32a of the female joint to the corresponding panel 24.

As best shown in FIGURES 6, 7 and 8A, the female joint 32 includes a re-entrant type of elongated channel member 320 which is attached to one face of the channel 32a and extends along the entire length of the channel. The elongated channel member 320 may be attached to the channel member 32a by spot welding, as shown, or the members 32a and 320 may preferably be formed integral with one another, or attached to one another by any other appropriate means. The channel member 320 is shaped to slidably receive the elongated male coupling member 30, the male coupling member being so received by sliding it down through one end of the channel 320. When the male joint is coupled into the channel member 320, it is completely surrounded by the channel member and restrained against all lateral movement.

One appropriate shape for the male coupling member 30 is illustrated, for example, in FIGURES 6, 7 and 8B. This member may be formed of two separate pieces, as shown in FIGURE 83, the pieces being configured as shown in the drawing, and spot welded together, as indicated in FIGURES 6 and 7. Of course, these pieces may be formed integral with one another, if so desired. The two pieces forming the male coupling member have respective skirt portions which extend on either side of the corresponding side panel 24 and which are designated above as 301:. These side portions, as mentioned, are staked to the corresponding panel by suitable integral stakes 30b, or by any other appropriate means.

The two pieces forming the illustrated male coupling member also have outwardly flared portions 300 which are inclined to the edge of the corresponding side panel, as illustrated in FIGURES 6, 7 and 8B. The shape of the portion 300 is such that it may slidably engage the corresponding channel 320 of the corresponding female joint.

It is evident that the male and female joints may have other suitable configurations, so as to provide a slidable coupling therebetween.

As best shown in FIGURE 5, the improved knockdown container of the invention may be quickly and rapidly assembled, merely by placing certain ones of the side panels 24 upright in the corresponding shoulders 20 or 22, and then by sliding the other side panels 24 down into coupled relationship with the first mentioned side panels. The resulting container is rigid and solid in its construction, with each of the side panels being securely coupled to one another by the elongated coupling members 3i) and 32; and with the whole assembly being sup ported against lateral movement in the shoulers on the pallet 10, due to the weight of the side panels and associated corner joints.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG- URES 9-13 is most advantageous in that it may be used in conjunction with usual, unmodified pallets.

The second embodiment utilizes elongated coupling members .40 and 41 formed, for example, of extruded aluminum, or aluminum alloy. As in the previous embodiment, the coupling members, or joints, are provided at each corner of the container. Each coupling member 40 includes a female portion 40a, which has a channeliike configuration; and each coupling member 41 has a male portion 41a which is adapted to slide into locking engagement with the corresponding female portion 400.

The male coupling members 41 are illustrated as attached to the ends of a pair of end panels 43 by a plurality of rivets R. The female coupling members 40 are illustrated as attached to the ends of a pair of side panels 44 by a like plurality of rivets R.

As mentioned above, the second embodiment of the invention can be used in conjunction with a usual pallet bottom, and there is no need to form a peripheral channel around the pallet.

Instead, a bracket 46 is mounted on the lower edge of each end panel 43. The brackets 46 are supported on the corresponding end panels by appropriate rivets R, or by any other suitable fasteners.

As best shown in FIGURES 11 and 12, each bracket 46 has a pair of spaced parallel fingers 36a and 46b. These fingers extend at right angles to the body of the corresponding bracket under the lower edge of the corresponding end panel 43, and the fingers are disposed in a plane spaced from the plane of the lower edge.

A usual pallet, which may be used as the bottom member for the bin of FIGURE 9, is indicated as 50' in FIG- URE 13. The pallet 50 is of usual construction, and it does not include a peripheral channel, as does the pallet of FIGURE 2.

The pallet 59 includes a central stringer 50a and side stringers 59d. The pallet also includes a plurality of tranvcrse boards 59b forming the top face, and a plurality of transverse boards 50c forming the lower face.

To assemble the bin of FIGURE 9, the end panels 43 are first placed in an upright position at the corresponding ends of the pallet 56. As shown in FIGURES 9, 11 and 12, the end panels are so placed that the fingers 46a and 46b of the brackets 46 extend under the end top boards Stib of the pallet and along either side of the central stringer 56a.

The brackets 46 serve, therefore, to maintain the end panels 43 locked on the pallet 59 and prevent transverse or vertical movement of the end panels with respect to the pallet.

The side panels 44 are then slipped into place, with their end coupling members 46 slidably engaging the end coupling members 41 of the end panels. When the side panels are in place, their Weight, together with the weight of the end panels 43 and the engagement of the brackets 46, cause the side and end panels to be rigidly maintained on the pallet 50. The coupling members 40 and 41 maintain the end and side panels securely coupled to one another, so that the resulting assembly is maintained firmly and secureiy in an assembled condition.

The construction of the invention is most advantageous in that the containers embodying the invention may be set up and disassembled quickly and conveniently, and without the need for any tools or other instruments. Also, containers constructed in accordance with the invention are rugged and strong, and yet simple and straightforward in their design. The elongated coupling members 3t and 32, 40 and 41 also serve to reinforce the corners of the assemblies.

As described above, modifications may be made to the types of slidable coupling members; and the other components of the illustrated assembly may also be modified. Therefore, while particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, changes may be made and it is intended in the attached claims to cover all such changes as fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A knock-down container including: a double-faced rectangular-shaped bottom pallet member having an upper face and a lower face and including a plurality of transversely extending boards forming each face and supported and separated from one another by a plurality of interposed elongated stringer members spaced from one another; first and second side members adapted to be supported on the side edges of the upper face of said pallet member; first and second end members adapted to be supported on the end edges of the upper face of said pallet member; first and second brackets respectively mounted on said first and second end members adjacent the respective lower edges thereof and rigidly affixed to the external surface thereof, each of said brackets having at least one finger configured to extend around the edge and under the top face of the pallet adjacent a corresponding one of said stringer members to engage the underside of said top face and a side of said corresponding stringer member, said first bracket serving to prevent movement of said first end member transversely with respect to said upper face of said pallet member in at least a first direction and longitudinally with respect to said upper face in at least a first direction, and said second bracket serving to prevent movement of said second end member transversely with respect to the upper face of said pallet member in at least a second direction and longitudinally with respect to the upper face in at least a second direction; and elongated male and female coupling members mounted on the ends of said side and end members and configured to slide into mating relationship with one another to intercouple said side members to said end members at the corners of the container. I

2. A knock-down container including: a double-faced rectangular-shaped bottom pallet member having an upper face and a lower face and including a plurality of transversely extending boards forming each face and supported and separated from one another by a plurality of interposed longitudinally extending elongated stringer members spaced from one another; first and second panel-like side members adapted to be supported on the side edges of the upper face of said pallet member; first and second panel-like end members adapted to be supported on the end edges of the upper of said pallet member; first and second brackets respectively mounted on said first and second end members adjacent the respective lower edges thereof and rigidly aifixed to the external surface thereof, each of said brackets having finger means configured to extend around the edge and under the top face of the pallet on opposite sides of one of said stringer members to engage the underside of said top face and the sides of said corresponding stringer member, said brackets serving to prevent movement of said first and second end members transversely and longitudinally with respect to said upper face of said pallet member; and elongated male and female coupling members mounted on the ends of said side and end members and configured to slide into mating relationship with one another to intercouple said side members to said end members at the corners of the container.

3. A knock-down container including: a bottom pallet member having at least an upper face and including a plurality of elongated stringer members spaced from one another; first and second side members adapted to be supported on the side edges of the upper face of said pallet member; first and second end members adapted to be supported on the end edges of the upper face of said pallet member; first and second brackets respectively mounted on said first and second end members adjacent the respective lower edges thereof and rigidly afiixed to the external surface thereof, each of said brackets having at least one finger configured to extend around the edge and under the top face of the pallet adjacent a corresponding one of said stringer members to engage the underside of said top face and a side of said corresponding stringer member, said first bracket serving to prevent movement of said first end member transversely with respect to said upper face of said pallet member in at least a first direction and longitudinally with respect to said upper face in at least a first direction, and said second bracket serving to prevent movement of said second end member transversely with respect to the upper face of said pallet member in at least a second direction and longitudinally with respect to the upper face in at least a second direction;

1 7 and elongated male and female coupling members mounted on the ends of said side and end members and con figured to slide into mating relationship with one another to inter-couple said side members to said end members at the corners of the container.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Collins Jan. 10, 192.2

FOREIGN PATENTS Germany May 7, 1953 Netherlands Feb. 15, 1961 Canada Dec. 28, 1954 Sweden July 1, 1958 Austria Apr. 25, 1958 lupa... 

2. A KNOCK-DOWN CONTAINER INCLUDING: A DOUBLE-FACED RECTANGULAR-SHAPED BOTTOM PALLET MEMBER HAVING AN UPPER FACE AND A LOWER FACE AND INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING BOARDS FORMING EACH FACE AND SUPPORTED AND SEPARATED FROM ONE ANOTHER BY A PLURALITY OF INTERPOSED LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING ELONGATED STRINGER MEMBERS SPACED FROM ONE ANOTHER; FIRST AND SECOND PANEL-LIKE SIDE MEMBERS ADAPTED TO BE SUPPORTED ON THE SIDE EDGES OF THE UPPER FACE OF SAID PALLET MEMBER; FIRST AND SECOND PANEL-LIKE END MEMBERS ADAPTED TO BE SUPPORTED ON THE END EDGES OF THE UPPER OF SAID PALLET MEMBER; FIRST AND SECOND BRACKETS RESPECTIVELY MOUNTED ON SAID FIRST AND SECOND END MEMBERS ADJACENT THE RESPECTIVE LOWER EDGES THEREOF AND RIGIDLY AFFIXED TO THE EXTERNAL SURFACE THEREOF, EACH OF SAID BRACKETS HAVING FINGER MEANS CONFIGURED TO EXTEND AROUND THE EDGE AND UNDER THE TOP FACE OF THE PALLET ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF ONE OF SAID STRINGER MEMBERS TO ENGAGE THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID TOP FACE AND THE SIDES OF SAID CORRESPONDING STRINGER MEMBER, SAID BRACKETS SERVING TO PREVENT MOVEMENT OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND END MEMBERS TRANSVERSELY AND LONGITUDINALLY WITH RESPECT TO SAID UPPER FACE OF SAID PALLET MEMBER; AND ELONGATED MALE AND FEMALE COUPLING MEMBERS MOUNTED ON THE ENDS OF SAID SIDE AND END MEMBERS AND CONFIGURED TO SLIDE INTO MATING RELATIONSHIP WITH ONE ANOTHER TO INTERCOUPLE SAID SIDE MEMBERS TO SAID END MEMBERS AT THE CORNERS OF THE CONTAINER. 